Imagine watching every one of your seven brothers—from the oldest down to the youngest ten year old—being marched away from your castle by the king’s guards. On charges of treason, reports the captain. You know better than anyone that none of them so much as dared of treason. That it’s all a ploy by your paranoid stepmother to get that out from under foot so she can seize the inheritance. But the guards won’t listen. Welcome to the world of Lady Delia. And she’s going to do something about it. She’s going to go to London under the guise of a maid, team up with the very captain that arrested her brothers, and break them out. She’s going to prove her brothers innocent. But who can she trust? Melanie Dickerson’s books are the perfect thing when I want a simple story to just enjoy. The fairy tale she based this one off of—the Seven Swans—was unfamiliar to me, so more of the plot twists came as a surprise. She did a fantastic job with the seven brothers—even though she was juggling so many side characters, each one had a distinct personality and I kept track of them easily. (Speaking of those distinct personalities, I hope we’re to see some more of those pop up in later books . . . Edwin, anyone?) Delia seemed to be just a bit too trusting to me. Maybe that was supposed to be her character flaw. On one hand, she’d make a fantastic internal speech about how she was going to be strong and save her brothers and be careful who she trusted. Then she’d go and tell details of the plot to someone who was obviously untrustworthy. It just didn’t seem to quite match up. She also made some pretty harsh accusations towards people who weren’t as trusting . . . and as someone who isn’t as trusting in real life, I had a hard time relating to her. That being said, the plot had good tension. I kept turning the page, waiting to see if their plans would work, if Delia had trusted the wrong person, if they would get caught, what they would do if they did. The story does an amazing job of illustrating the conflict of being in suffering. And had it left there, it would have stuck with me. But the final chapter contains a weird monologue about why God does what He does by a character who had only a passing mention in the second chapter. I think the point would have gotten across if she had simply let the story tell it, instead of Mistress Wattlebrook. All that being said, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Court of Swans for a relaxing evening read.
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I'm excited to join in the cover reveal for Shadow by Kara Swanson releasing July 2021 from Enclave Publishing in limited-edition hardcover! Shadow is the second book in the Heirs of Neverland duology which is a Peter Pan retelling/sequel.
I adored Dust, and have been waiting for news of the sequel! Spoilers for Book 1 abound below, so if you haven't read Book 1, check out the review here! https://racheljleitch.weebly.com/rachels-reads/dust-by-kara-swanson Peter Pan has crash-landed back on Neverland. But this is not the island he remembers. Desperate to rescue Claire and the fractured Lost Boys, Peter must unravel what truly tore his dreamland apart. But with each step, he is haunted by more of his own broken memories. Not even Pan himself is what he seems. Claire Kenton is chained to a pirate ship, watching the wreckage of Neverland rocked by tempests. When she finally finds her brother, Connor is every bit as shattered as the island. Claire may have pixie dust flowing in her veins—but the light of Neverland is flickering dangerously close to going out forever. To rescue Neverland from the inescapable shadow, the boy who never grew up and the girl who grew up too fast will have to sacrifice the only thing they have left: each other. So without further ado . . . here's the cover! It's so cool! I have been so very VERY excited for this release! (It may possibly be my most anticipated release of 2020!) Kara is one of my instructors on the Young Writer's Workshop, so I got to see some of the behind-the-scenes work (without spoilers, of course). So I eagerly counted down the days until Dust found its way to my mailbox.
I. Was. Not. Disappointed. But first, what's this Dust deal about? Claire Kenton hasn't given up on her brother. Not through anything--and she's been through a lot. Abandoned as a child, tossed in and out of foster homes, tested due to the strange dust that seeps from her skin at the oddest of times. Even losing her twin brother, Connor. Claire Kenton also hates Peter Pan. Because it was him--or his story, rather--that convinced her brother to step on a plane with a stranger to London. Which is why Claire is headed for London herself. She's about to find out that Peter Pan is no fairy tale. In fact, he's stuck in London, with a dozen things he can't remember, and all too many memories he wishes he could forget. He's hunted by his own Lost Boys, he can't fly, and worst of all, he's aging. His only hope to get back and save his island? A girl named Claire Kenton. A girl who hates him. So much was packed into this modern-day Peter Pan retelling. Almost any issue a teenager faces was addressed through this sparkling allegory, even heavier topics such as depression and suicide. The themes of self-image and facing your past flew side-by-side and never faltered. The imagery in this book is absolutely gorgeous. There were scenes that literally took my breath away. I saw it all and felt like I was there. And the character voices were largely to blame for that. Both were so unique. I was especially interested in Peter's--how Kara conveyed both this new mature side of him that he's not quite sure how to deal with, and then sometimes even in the next second, his fun-loving childish side would jump out into the light. The retelling was very interesting--hints of the original story seeped into the plot and characters, while at the same time created something entirely new. Dust has quickly become one of my most recommended books and one of my very favorite. Now I'm looking forward to Shadow's release next year! Evangeline feels like a songbird trapped in a cage.
Every day, she sings for the servants and watches the world go by beneath her window. She should be happy. As the overprotective king's ward, she has everything she could ever want--save freedom. She's even engaged to be married to Lord Shively, his advisor. Alright, with a name like Shively, who could trust him, really? Rumors are he murdered his first wife, and Evangeline has seen enough to believe it of him. Evangeline will not stay silent any longer. Or rather she will. Because to disguise herself when she runs from the castle, she pretends to be mute. It seems like a perfect plan until she meets Westley le Wyse. Then it doesn't seem like a good idea at all. This is a Little Mermaid retelling without the irritating "my-parents/guardian-hate-me-they're-so-mean-because-they-like-have-rules" feel that so many of them have. Evangeline is a little headstrong, it's true. But no one can really blame her for running away from Shively, honestly. And she seeks out the right, lifts her chin, and faces the consequences when her actions don't go as planned and hurt others. This book has a fantastic view of women. It shows readers women can be strong and feminine at the same time--and that neither makes them any less to be valued. The author also did a great job when we were in Westley's head. He wants to be a strong leader, but fears he is too naive when it comes to his subjects. His and Eva's journeys together to become strong, responsible individuals (and to defeat Shively) make this one of my favorites in Melanie Dickerson's Hagenheim Series. Adela is the daughter of a duke, and she dreams of being a peasant.
All her brothers and sisters have grown up before her eyes, gone on adventures, and found their true loves. Now Adela wonders when adventure will come for her. And how it will come, considering she is a duke's daughter, and expected to make an advantageous marriage. And that's what leads Adela to disguise herself as a peasant and explore her village . . . where she meets Frederick, a farmer's son who dreams of being an artist. I've been intrigued by the premise of this book since I heard it was releasing. I'd never read a reverse Cinderella story before and was interested to see how it was. The author created an excellent reverse Cinderella character who holds tight to his dreams--but doesn't just wait to be rescued. He works towards his dreams. The author also did an excellent job of writing the perspective of a youngest daughter--a bit spoiled youngest daughter--without making her completely obnoxious. She wrote her realistically and sensibly. Granted, a good deal of the story is based on a lie. But never do we feel like Adela's less-than-honest actions are being approved of. In fact, even Adela herself sees how she could do better. While romance is a strong plot in this book, it's not a romance driven only by feelings. Both Adela and Frederick think about how their decisions will affect others. We experience the story from diverse perspective, all of them as shining as the main characters'. I loved seeing this story from two artists' eyes and felt like it made a huge contribution to the story. The faith of those who lived in medieval times is portrayed realistically, while not feeling cheesy or preachy, even while including a "miracle" scene. I have to admit, I'm sad to see Melanie Dickerson's Hagenheim Series that I've followed so long end. (And what about Toby? Please tell me he gets his own book in the next series!) The Peasant's Dream did not disappoint, and provides a sparkling conclusion to this series I've loved so well. *climbs out of giant open treasure chest in the corner of the room and peers around* Are they gone? The pirates, I mean? Good! Alrighty, then! *brushes hands off* Who's up for a treasure hunt? What's this all about, you ask? Have you ever heard the story of Peter Pan? *pulls another treasure chest off the top shelf* I'll bet you've never heard it quite like this before! The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale. Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real--since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire's desperate search points to London . . . and a boy who shouldn't exist. Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins. The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan--and herself. I am so excited for this release, have my copy pre-ordered and everything! *searches treasure chests for pre-order confirmation and comes up empty* Oh, well. I was not one of the advanced readers, so following along and reading the interviews and reviews from my fellow treasure protectors has been just as much fun (or more) for me as it is for you! I'm excited about some of the themes that I've been told are woven into it. I'm excited about the plot and the characters (especially Peter, I hear he's a pretty vibrant character). I can't wait to see what twists Kara has spun on this tale! Here's another little secret . . . Kara is actually one of my instructors on the Young Writer's Workshop. I've been able to kind of peek over her shoulder as she's worked through the publishing process. And now Dust is finally here! But back to the treasure hunt. Word around Neverland has it that there's a treasure waiting at the end of our journey. Who wouldn't want to hunt that? (And I hear that the first Lost Boy or Girl who makes it to the end gets an advanced reader copy of the book! With an autograph! It's exclusive . . . and stuff.) Unfortunately, you (Lost Boys and Girls, did you say it was?) aren't the only ones after it. Hence the treasure chest in the corner that's the perfect size for hiding from pirates. Then again, hiding in a treasure chest to escape pirates might not be my best idea yet. To beat the pirates and have a look at that treasure, you're going to want to stop in at *rustles through even more treasure chests*: https://paperstrider.com tomorrow! If you've gotten a bit turned around (it's hard to get the hang of this flying thing at first), here's where the whole hunt began: https://gracebought.wordpress.com/2020/05/31/dust-blog-tour-kickoff/ One more thing before you go. *lifts floorboard and reaches for very sparkly treasure chest* You're going to want this keyword. Remember, collect all 36 to decode a quote from the book! Have. A good word, have.
You'd best fly faster, though, because I think I hear pirates in the distance. Happy hunting! *hops back in treasure chest* Katerina Ludken is a woman on a mission--to kill the Beast of Hamlin and to find the children who have vanished from her village.
Steffan of Hagenheim is a man on a mission--to prove to anyone who cares that he is not just the bad son of his noble family. Killing the Beast seems a good way to do so. Hennek, Mayor of Hamlin, has his own mission--to keep his sins hidden from his adoring villagers. And he's willing to remove anyone who dares stand in his way. Each Melanie Dickerson book gets better, and The Piper's Pursuit is no exception. I read this entire novel in one afternoon. Katerina trusts no one, for her own reasons. This part of the plot was played out very well. Better yet, it's not left as a petty quirk. It is overcome. While some readers may find it annoying, I found her character refreshing. She thinks about things. She sets goals and works to achieve them. She'll stand up to a greedy mayor who would very much like to kill her if that's what it takes. She is a well-written, strong yet feminine character--characters in short supply, especially in young adult literature. Then there's Steffan. He so desperately wants to be good, yet there's so much bad, inside and out, for him to overcome. That doesn't slow him down. He'll never give up or give in, he'll face down the Beast and the mayor both . . . but will he face his past? Let's turn our attention from our heroes to our villain--Hennek. Greedy, ruthless, deranged, more than a little creepy, and oh so conceited. I could go on, but you get the idea. His villain was well-written--and I'm not sure whether to call that a good or a bad thing! For fans of Melanie Dickerson's distinct plot style, this installment doesn't disappoint. Far from it. In fact, it might even have earned Kat's trust. |
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